Report: Patriots do not plan to cut Alfonzo Dennard

The New England Patriots do not plan on cutting second-year cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, a league source told the Boston Globe.

Dennard earned a deferred 30-day jail sentence last year after he punched an officer investigating a fight outside a bar in Lincoln, Neb., and then was arrested last Thursday on suspicion of drunken driving.

Dennard will be in court July 31, five days after the Patriots begin training camp, to learn if his recent arrest could land him in jail on a probation violation.

From the Globe:

But despite the two arrests, and despite the negative publicity generated recently by the Aaron Hernandez situation, the Patriots do not plan on cutting Dennard, a league source told the Globe.

The team is, however, prepared for Dennard to be suspended by the NFL under the player conduct policy. As a reference point, Lions cornerback Aaron Berry was suspended for three games in 2012 after getting arrested twice in the offseason. An NFL spokesman said only that Dennard’s case is “under review.”

The Patriots issued a statement Thursday following Dennard’s suspicion of DUI arrest: “The New England Patriots are extremely disappointed to learn of Alfonzo Dennard’s arrest. We take this matter very seriously and are working to get more information on the incident.”

Dennard started seven game last season as a rookie, finishing the season with 35 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble and a touchdown. Dennard is expected to start opposite Aqib Talib this season.